Suicide Queen
by Realm3Keyblade
Summary: This story basically builds around the game's plot. However, there are a few twists that have been weaved into the plot, to make things a little more interesting.
1. Prologue

The soft crunch of dead leaves and bones is all that's heard as I pass through the courtyard. The weeping sun is falling down, stretching her long bloody fingers, painting the sky in mournful patterns as she makes her slow decent. Night is coming to drape her cloak and hid the sorrowful lands. And with no more callings of lively birds, she'll never leave again.

Through the courtyard and pass the bolted gates, I see nothing more than ash and blood sprinkled throughout the land. The crunching ends as I stand still, taking in the scenery. Years have flown by yet time never moved; the same scene of 100 years ago is still perfectly preserved. I've been left alone to choke on relentless grief. My palace, my world, my home, forever scarred, is never to be healed again. Alas, the pain has finally taken hold – shaking fingers grab the rusted butcher's knife. Directing the blood caked blade at my heart, I close my eyes and think again.


	2. Alice

It all started with the fire. Or no…long before that. But it didn't matter then. No one thought anything of it before then. Only because no one cared much about her then. After the fire, that's when people noticed. After the fire, everyone disappeared, and there was no one else to care of her, but herself. And once they began to pay attention, they began to see it. They could then see the darkness that plagued her heart.   
Alice, a brilliant girl, she held a powerful mind. She carried great intellect, wisdom, and fear. She knew and experienced much more than she was meant too. And later, her mind left her, she had been put to waste. Long dark hair hung around her shoulders; enchanting green eyes secretly concealing truths. Her sickly pale skin blended in with the white sheets of the steel bed, her thin frame hidden under her oversized clothes. A smile never crossed her face; a tear is never spilled.  
Alice, cursed with insanity, yet claimed more sanity then the chaotic Earth. They tried to understand her, peer into her soul, yet came out empty handed, just as clueless as before. An innocent child possessing awesome strength. If only she would control it…

"Hello Alice."   
Green eyes shifted away from the window to set themselves upon the psychiatrist in the doorway. "Hello Dr. Stanpole," she replied in a polite tone, before letting her eyes trail back to the window.  
"How are you today? Feeling better I hope?" He asked as he stepped inside the room, shutting the door behind him. She merely nodded in response; gaze still glued at the window.  
"I'm glad your doing better, he replied, pulling up a chair beside her bed.  
"Yes." She refused to look back at him; something Dr. Stanpole was quick to note.  
"Alice, have I upset you?" he asked, warm brown eyes studying her stolid face, trying to detect any sign of emotion.  
"No," she answered curtly.  
"Then what's wrong, Alice?" he questioned, placing a giant hand over her thin, cold ones.  
"I'd prefer not to talk about it," was her response, ignoring his comforting touch as she kept a fixed stare out the window.  
"You know you can tell me anything Alice. Don't be afraid to say it. I won't tell anybody. I just want to know what's wrong so I can help you," he reminded in his friendly voice.  
"I know. I'm just not in the mood to talk about it. Not now."  
"I understand. You'll tell me later than, won't you?"  
"Yes."  
"Would you rather me leave now, and come back tomorrow?"  
The fifteen year old merely shrugged. Suddenly she felt Dr. Stanpole's soft pressure leave her hand and heard the scraping of the chair against the cement floor.  
"Would you like to tell me what it is your looking at?"  
"Wilbur."   
"Wilbur?" Following the direction of her eyes, he met the giant willow tree.  
"Yes. He's sad today. The devilish children came by and pulled at his whipping fingers, and stripped him of his covers. They laughed and carved into his heart names of people he shall never met. They trashed his home in disregard and leave him now to weep. I should have stopped them, yet I didn't. And still now I do nothing but watch him cry and shed leaves of sadness."   
Dr. Stanpole was quiet for a moment, busy scribbling notes onto his pad, before looking back up. "You can't help it Alice. You must stay here. It's not your fault."  
"But it is. I could have told those kids to go away and leave him be…but I chose not to. I kept quiet and watched them torture him. Watched as they punished him for his evils…"  
"Evils? But he's just a tree. What evils could Wilbur have committed?"  
Alice finally turned to face the psychiatrist. Her knowing eyes studied the twenty-five year old, taking in every detail. His messy chocolate brown hair fell to friendly brown eyes and curled around his face. His long, crooked nose held up the fragile frames of his reading glasses, and his crooked smile lit up his pleasant face. Around his neck he wore a warm red scarf that showed up nicely against his honey colored skin.  
"Why, his existence of course," she answered matter-of-factly before turning back to the window. Sitting beside the windowsill, bathed in the sun's soft glow, she seemed almost ghost like and unreal. "Alice-"  
"I'd rather you leave me now."


	3. Wonderland's Calling

Hours later, night had fallen upon the city, putting the people to bed. As the lights shut off in the institute, the sounds began to fade, and all the patients were sleeping now, all except Alice. She lay wide-awake in her cell, staring out at the cloudy sky that began to thicken.  
She never slept, or ever rested, always awake and prepared for her unseen foes. They came at night to haunt her, when no one else was awake to save her. Always beckoning her to come with them to the land of misery, playing with her mind, taunting her with never-ending temptations.  
As she lay in bed, watching the swirling snow begin to fall, she could hear the soft footsteps of him coming. "Alice," the silvery voice whispered. "Come on now, no time for this, follow me to Wonderland, where you've been greatly missed," he purred.  
Alice shook her head, watching saw the giant cat stepped into the soft patch of light on the cement floor. Yellow eyes glowed maliciously as he stepped closer to the fifteen year old. His skinny, bony body moved in a swift, graceful manner, as he approached her, his thin white coat shimmering a ghostly white. "Alice, Wonderland is in need. She is being tortured for her past deeds. Everyone is suffering, not only us, but also you. Why not be so kind and help us as we've helped you?"  
A wicked look crossed her innocent face for a brief moment. How she longed to return…forever live in her past…  
"Why is it you refuse? What are you afraid of? Dear Alice, you amuse me. Do you yearn for love?" His eyes flashed, his ominous smile grew, for at last he found what was holding her back. Leaping off the floor and silently on her bed with such grace, Alice couldn't help but find the heinous cat so wickedly enchanting.  
"Dear, sweet Alice. Do you think you'll find love here? Don't be silly Alice dear; don't let anyone get near. For what is the point? They just die, leaving you alone to cry," he hissed, yellow eyes staring into her green ones. He saw beyond the innocent child, and past the hidden secrets. Those cold, yellow eyes, penetrating through could see the mourning soul.  
The young teen shuddered, she knew he knew. But he wasn't supposed to know…he wasn't allowed to know…she shut her eyes tight, refusing to let him learn of her true colors. Yet those evil glowing eyes shown just as brightly in her mind.  
"Do not be a fool. You cannot hide it. Why do you even bother hiding it? Forget what people think, it matters not. Instead, leave this Earth behind to rot. Enter Wonderland with open arms, forever lasting and shan't do you harm. We live to serve and serve to live, come and take what we have to give. Cleanse us from our sickening pains, and in return, your losses shall be regained." His taunting song ran through her ears, yet despite her thoughts to say no, an overpowering urge washed over her. Opening her eyes slightly, she could see the cat's face staring back at her. She could smell its sour breath as it took sharp inhales and exhales of breath, waiting patiently for her to give in.  
"Take me," she agreed, her first words that night. Before the words had even escaped her lips, however, she felt the cold gray walls swirl around her. The darkness that had been hiding in the corners leapt out and swallowed the room. She was drowning in a sea of darkness, never to be seen again. Frightened, she tried to call for help. Her voice was lost, however, and the only sound to be heard was the feline's foreboding laughter and the whirling of the room.


	4. Another Nightmare

There was a loud thump, followed by a low 'omphf!" and the Cheshire cat's snickers. "My, that was awfully dreadful," the fifteen year old thought- or said. Her lips had never moved, but her thoughts were translated into spoken words. It was just one of Wonderland's many bizarre happenings.  
"You make me laugh, Alice dear, for more dreadful things are near. Just look around you and see what has come, Destroyed, is what Wonderland had become," the feline chuckled, yellow teeth gleaming. In Wonderland's light, he looked so much more real, each detail standing out. His pointed, devil ears were pressed low against his skull, his sharp fangs, covered in thick saliva, gleaming in the forest light. His skeletal body, which was wrapped in a thin layer of flesh, was hunched over a giant mushroom, golden eyes locked on the young girl.  
Slowly climbing to her feet, Alice found her clothes and hands smeared with dirt, but she didn't seem to care, merely wiping her filthy palms on her dress. "What's happened to Wonderland during my absence?" she questioned, ignoring the bits of twigs and leaves in her hair as she began to wander through the forest.  
"So very much has happened," the cat answered, hopping off the mushroom. "To much to be explained," he went on while following after her, leaving large paw prints pressed into the damp earth. "Just take a look around. So much to be discovered, so much to be found."   
There was an eerie feeling as the two walked silently together. The Wonderland Alice remembered, so full of life and excitement and had been transformed into a darkened world. The trees used to rise to immeasurable heights, and their branches were thick with leaves. The songs of brilliantly colored birds were always heard, and there was a rich woodsy scent. The floor had been decorated with strange leave patterns; the elegant flowers were constantly busy chatting; the giant mushrooms rose high above the ground. Now, everything had changed. The trees stood naked and lonely, their leaves broken and scattered along the floor. The birds were gone; the flowers silent and wilted, the only sound left being the crunching of dried leaves. The mushrooms were shrunken and the pleasant smells were instead replaced with a putrid scent of old age, death and decay. The forest, as well as the rest of Wonderland had been drained of life.   
"I don't understand what has happened. Why is Wonderland in a such a dreadful state?" Alice inquired as she glanced at the giant cat that walked silently beside her.  
"This would be the Queens work," he explained as they soon reached the end of the forest.   
"The Queen? The Queen of Hearts? What did that devil do? Why would she do such a horrid thing?"   
"I say, watch your tongue. Speak like that around her, and she'll have you hung," the feline warned as he slowed to a stop.  
"Oh, I'd like to see her try," she snorted, coming to a halt as well.  
"As would I," he grimaced. "But if she did manage to kill you, oh, then without a savior, what would Wonderland do?"   
"Perhaps find a new savior," Alice thought aloud.  
"No, I'm afraid that would never do. There is no one else as competent as you. Now, no more talk of this. You've got a long journey ahead. Hurry on, and return this land to its former bliss," he explained, eyes set on the young teen.  
"But what am I to do?" she questioned, uncertain of her mission.  
"That, you must find on your own."   
"My own? Well, where am I to go?" she asked again, looking to find where to start. br  
"Again, you must find that on your own."  
"What nonsense is this? How am I to help if you won't tell me what I need to know?" she cried, throwing her hands up in frustration.  
"Silly child. Where would be the fun if I told you all you need to know?" he chuckled.  
Before Alice could open her mouth to reply, the Cheshire cat began to fade away into nothingness, leaving her alone with nothing more than his cackling in her head.


	5. Wilbur

"That cat and his ridiculous gibberish. What fun is there in this? Wonderland is suffering and he's out looking for /fun/." Alice had been talking to herself for hours now, walking along the same never-ending path to nowhere. The scenery had remained the same throughout her trek, lifeless and depressing. Without any sign of help, or hope for that matter, the dark haired femmora couldn't help but feel that the situation was beyond repair. Wonderland was destroyed and there was nothing she could do about it.

"If that over-grown, good for nothing feline won't help me, then I'm leaving," she finally concluded. "I'm not wasting my time here," she muttered, turning around to follow the winding path back. Before she began her hike back however, something of interest caught her eye.

"Wilbur? Is that you?" her thoughts asked aloud.

"…Yes." The words formed slowly in her mind, as if the tree was writing the letters in her head with a great deal of strength.

"Oh my, just look at you. Torn and chopped all over," she examined, stepping off of the winding path to take a better look. The giant willow tree stood alone, broken branches swaying back and forth in the gentle breeze, its giant, hairy toe-like roots digging deep into the soft ground. Standing right in front of the tree, the young female began to read aloud the various names engraved in its smooth bark.

"Charles Fletcher." She paused at that name. Tilting her head slightly, green optics running over the name several times over, she repeated the name. "My father's name was Charles," she said slowly, placing a delicate hand over the mark. "Oh how I do miss him so…my mother as well…" her voice trailed off as she ran her hand over the rugged surface.

Suddenly with a shuddering sigh, the tentacle-like branches shot out and wrapped themselves tightly around her tiny wrist. She could feel the tree's battered flesh cutting into her own. "What's this?" she cried, clearly surprised she tried to tug her hand free. It was no use however, as more branches latched onto her in a crushing grip.

"I demand you stop this right now! Let go I say!" she shrieked, trying desperately to escape. The rustling of Wilbur's creaking branches drowned her yells out however. As several lashed out at her the scrolling words in her mind appeared again.

"Look at what you've done to me," the letters began to form. "Merely watching me…you saw the pain I was in, yet you did nothing!" The words were scribbled across her mind, forming more rapidly as the willow's anger rose. "Let me show you just how much it hurt." Those words lingered in her head as several more whipping branches twisted around her arms and legs, one reaching hold of her small neck.

"Wilbur, please let me go!" she pleaded, "Let me go!" But it was of no use. Tighter the branches curled around her body…Her head was pounding, her heart racing as she struggled for breath. Her lungs burned, crushed inside her body by the relentless tree. "Oh god, I'm going to die right here!" she thought frantically as her arms and legs grew numb.

She saw no means of escaping, barely able to move at all by now. The rough bark dug deep into her skin, refusing to ever let go. All she could do was hope to pull free, but her pathetic struggles did her no good. The tree suddenly slammed her into the ground and she felt herself loose consciousness for a brief moment. It was hopeless…closing her eyes she waited for the crushing pain to end…

There was a soft clank as something hit the floor and slid beside Alice's hand. Without a second's thought, her hand shot out and grabbed it. Shifting the entity in her hand, the cool metal that she had first grabbed was replaced by smooth wood. She didn't have time to ponder what it was however, and somehow managed to gain the strength to thrust it at the tree before falling limp.

There was a moment when time seemed to freeze; everything was deathly still. Yet after what seemed like several long moments, the still picture flickered, and time moved on. With a shuddering cry, the branches suddenly freed the girl from their firm grasp. Instead the tree's extremities moved to pull the object that was lodged deep in its trunk out. It was unsuccessful in removing the item however, despite its frantic attempts.

"Why?" The words slowly appeared.

The tentacle-like branches were flailing wildly about, desperately trying to tug the object free.

"Why have you done this to me?" The branches were slowly losing energy and it was becoming increasingly difficult to move.

"Murderer…" It no longer had the strength to pull out the object…the branches merely swayed lifelessly in the breeze. All it wanted was for the pain to stop now…

Alice staggered to her feet. Her breaths were coming in short pants as she tried desperately to get air to her oxygen-deprived lungs. "How did you expect me to help you? I'm just a girl! You seem perfectly able to defend yourself" Alice spat.

The last message the willow sent out, before falling silent, waiting for its inevitable death to take hold was "Go back from where you came, Wonderland doesn't need you."


	6. Adventure Beginings

Alice was found lying on the soft earth as exhaustion pressed itself onto her small body. She was completely still, with the exception of the gentle rising and falling of her chest. She was drifting in and out of consciousness from time to time. Beads of sweat rolled down her stolid face, long dark hair plastered to her forehead. Her arms and legs were covered in stinging cuts and aching bruises, but her long tattered dress concealed most of the injuries.

Time had been inching along at a snail's pace, with Wilbur's dead branches dangling in the soft breeze, which carried along rattling leaves and pushed the thin wisps of clouds further along the red sky. The silence that had engulfed the diseased world seemed never-ending until the soft thumps of the Cheshire cat's large, invisible paws padded around her.

"Good show! You've destroyed your first foe," the giant feline skeleton congratulated, creeping next to the young femmora as its thin body began to materialize. "But look at you, so out of breath, after only putting one soul to death," he went on, peering down at her exhausted face.

Green eyes fluttered open to see that menacing grin smeared across the Cheshire's face. "I didn't mean to kill him," she said slowly as she tried to heave herself into a sitting position. It took a deal of effort, however, but she felt slightly better to be upright.

"Look at you, would you rather be dead too?" he smirked, circling around her like a vulture waiting for its prey to die.

"I wouldn't have done it if I could have helped it," she explained, emerald eyes locked onto the feline.

"Is that so? You looked to be enjoying yourself a few moments ago," he replied, slowing to a stop near her feet.

"Strange how I don't find it funny," she said exasperatedly. "I'm not killer."

At this the cat let out a loud howl of laughter. "Not a killer? Then, I wonder what happened to this stupid, vengeful pillar," he slunk beside Wilbur. "Just look at your work of art. Butcher's blade driven right into his heart," he grinned. Digging his giant claws deep into its trunk, he leapt up high into the tree in one powerful movement, slick body contracting and springing forward. "Then tell me, what do you think you are little doe? I am curious to know," he grinned as he settled himself on one of the think branches.

Alice glared angrily at the feline as she pushed herself up to a stand. "I'm…just a girl."

The cat let out another loud howl of laughter.

"I don't see what's so funny."

More laughter merely followed.

"Oh, this is ridiculous…"

The shrieks of laughter continued, long bony tail twitching excitedly as the ancient creature watched the fifteen-year-old turn to leave. "Where are you going my dear? Wonderland still needs you near".

"Home," she answered curtly, starting down the winding path.

Another burst of laughter. "What home Alice? Don't play around. The one you burned to the ground? The one where you watched your family writhe in pain, the home in which you ordered them to be slain? Alice dear, you do know, you have absolutely nowhere to go."

Alice swirled around, shooting a dangerous look at the over sized cat. "I did no such thing," she said in a quivering whisper.

"Oh, but you did Alice dear, you did that and much more, I fear," he replied in a merry tone, enjoying the teen's reaction to his words.

"I did not!" she cried, voice echoing through the quiet woods.

"You did, you did! God forbid, you wished ill of them all, and Wonderland, dear Wonderland, merely compelled them to fall. Why must you constantly avoid reality? Is it your morality? No? Are you afraid perhaps? Afraid someone learning of your mishaps?" he inquired, although he knew quite well what it was.

"Shut up," she hissed, hands clenching into tight fists. "I shan't waste any more of my time in this wretched place…I'm leaving. Enjoy your pathetic life," she spat, storming back down the path.

Before she took two steps Cheshire materialized in the middle of the trail, refusing to let her get by.

"Don't be ridiculous child, you've got a mission to compile," he hissed, yellow eyes glowing maliciously.

"Yes, and what if I don't want to?" she questioned, a small smile playing on her lips as she realized who it was that controlled the game.

"If you don't complete it, Wonderland will suffer. And for you, it will be rougher," he replied, smile curving into an angry frown.

"Is that so? Well I don't quite see the connection," she replied, folding her hands behind her back as she waited for the Cheshire's explanation.

He let out a low, raspy sigh as he slowly began pacing around the young girl, eyeing her now and then before divulging any sort of information. "Well I suppose it shan't hurt to shed some light. Maybe then you'll be polite. But if you dare open your mouth, at all before I'm through, I'll leave you to yourself," he warned, coming to a halt before her.

Alice merely gave a short nod of agreement.

"Well, as I said before, you wished ill of your parents, and Wonderland simply did its duty to put them out of existence. Understand now, Wonderland was created by you, for you. And so we try to do our best to keep you content by fulfilling those desires you long for. But of course, you're merely a stupid child, and the only thing you can expect from a stupid child is stupid wishes. You wanted your parents gone, but you never said how. So we had our fun and terminated them with a simple yet deadly house fire. And suddenly when they're gone you realize you want them back. Oh, now what is Wonderland to do? We cannot perform miracles! How strongly you yearned for their return. But when they never came back, you grew hateful, dangerous, deadly. And, well, what are people to do with such a child? So into the asylum you where thrown, and there you were to stay. And that venomous anger continued to grow with nowhere to go. And Wonderland, dear Wonderland, cares for you Alice. To see you in such pain puts Wonderland in pain. And suddenly the world changed, morphed into this awful hellhole. Just for you. Hundreds of victims roaming the land, all for but one purpose - to die by your hand. Your mind is a powerful thing, Alice. That anger, pent up inside, it has shape shifted into these miserable beings. And now, I hope you see where I'm getting at. By killing these wasteful creatures, you not only purge Wonderland from them, but also set free the sorrow buried deep within. I hope you understand, for I don't have the breath to explain it all again," he finished, a think trail of saliva trailing down his mouth as he rested his head on the soft earth.

"I…suppose I do," she said slowly, turning away from the cat to look back at Wilbur. It was strange…he seemed to be fading away… "I never imagined something quite like this was possible…"

"Yet it is," the feline assured, rising from the ground.

"Now I believe it's about time you continue your climb," he urged, taking several quick leaps towards the tree.

"But I'm still not quite sure what I am to do…kill Wonderland?" she asked, questions still lingering in her head.

"One step at a time," he replied, crawling up the trunk to where the butcher's blade was wedged tightly in. Clamping his giant fangs around the wooden handle, the Cheshire cat gave a hard tug, and the smooth blade slid out.

Alice slowly approached him, as he hopped down from the willow and placed the knife gently in the palm of her hand. "I think it would be a good idea to pay Caterpillar a visit," the cat explained, as he began to disappear.

"Wait! How do I get to him! Don't leave me just yet!" she cried.

"You'll find your way, no need to worry. Besides, I'll be watching incase you run into another scurry," he assured, nodding at the butcher's blade in her hand before vanishing along with Wilbur.


	7. The Lost

Alice had been wandering around the dense forest, searching for the trail which would lead her to the Caterpillar, when she heard something tromping around a little ahead of her. She carefully crept toward the unknown being when she heard it start murmuring to itself. Thump "stupid…idiots..." Thump. Thump. Thump. "I just want to go back!" Thump. Thump. SPLASH! "I hate them! Argh! I hate this place! I want to go back…I just want to go back…"

The girl stepped out of the forest into a small clearing. A couple yards away from where Alice stood there was a small pond in which a young boy was standing. "Excuse me-" her words didn't stop his ramblings.

"Take me back; I don't want to be here anymore. I want to go! But they won't let me go! I hate them! Tell them I have to go back. Make them take me back!" He turned his pleading gaze to Alice.

"What on earth are you talking about? Go back where? Who won't let you go back? How did you even get here?"

His eyes flashed, the insanity, the madness in those identical amber orbs was frightening. The fifteen year old gasped and stepped back.

"Don't waste your time talking to him. It's no use. All he'll do is babble."

Alice turned to see a thin boy emerging through the dense wall of trees, hauling a large sack filled with sticks and hay behind him. He looked to be around the age of 18, and stood tall at six feet. Small bits of twigs and leaves were caught in his soft blonde hair, and a small scratch ran along his smooth, pale skin, stopping just before ocean blue eyes. He was apparently unhappy; thin lips were slightly pursed, eyes narrowed. Dropping his load, he strolled over to where Alice stood before splashing into the crisp, cold water to retrieve the eight-year-old.

"Stop it! Let go! I like it here! Let go! I'm gonna tell on you!" The boy's protests continued as the blonde dragged the filthy child onto the neatly trimmed grass. "I wanna go back. I hurt, let me go back!" he squealed, pounding his small fists on the ground.

"What is he-"

"Why did you leave the camp?" the 18 year old demanded.

"I hate you, let me go back! I want to go-"

"Quiet," the elder boy spat, holding such abhorrence that the child fell to a sharp silence. "Now why did you leave the camp?"

The boy finally seemed to register that he was in trouble, and began shaking violently. Dark eyes darted back and forth between the two teens before resting on Alice's butcher knife. "I'm sorry! I just want to go back! Please let me go back! I just want to go home. No more adventures. I've had enough…"

"You disobeyed the rules. Why! This was your last chance and you blew it!" he exclaimed, voice steadily rising. "I've had it with you. You don't want to cooperate? Fine then! I have no use for you, you can go now."

A sparkle of hope flashed in the boy's eyes. "Can I go right now?"

"Right now. Close your eyes and don't move. Understand?"

The boy quickly obeyed orders. He understood. Or so he thought.

Alice stood motionlessly, observing the two with interest. Tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear, she continued to watch the blonde retrieved a long piece of hard rope and a leather bag from his sack. With a frustrated sigh, he began untying several thick knots in the rough rope as he sat back down beside the boy, who was patiently waiting. Glancing at Alice, he pointed at her knife, mouthing a 'can I borrow that?'

She looked suspiciously at him, uncertain about what he was up to. However, figuring that no harm would come to her if Wonderland needed her and the Cheshire was watching out for her, she handed over her only weapon.

Giving a short nod of thanks, he placed the blade beside him before picking up the leather bag. "Breath out," he commanded.

While in the middle of exhaling, the 18-year-old suddenly shoved the leather bag over the young child's head, and tied the rope around in a strangling knot.

"My god, what are you doing!" Alice suddenly shrieked, springing to the bank of the pond as she tried to pry the frantic child free from the blonde's grip. "You're killing him! Stop it!"

It was to no avail however; the 18-year-old was too strong.

"Stop it, your only making it worse," he barked, giving Alice a hard kick in the shins.

"/I'm/ making it worse? I'm not the one murdering a little-" her sentence was cut short. "You monster!"

"I'd hold my tongue if I were you," the blonde grunted, shoving the lifeless body of the 8 year old onto the girl's lap.

Staring down in horror at the small corpse, she realized there was something different about this child. She didn't feel that comforting satisfaction that she had previously felt when she had eliminated Wilbur… Cold, delicate fingers ran along the rugged, weathered piece of leather that was wrapped around the child's head. He was only a child…Her fingers froze as they bumped into the sharp blade of butcher's knife, which had pierced through the back of the boy's neck. "How could you have done such a horrid thing…"

"Let's not be quick to judge. You've just come here and have much to learn about this place," the teen reminded as he drew Alice's blade out for her. Fresh blood slipped down the smooth metal, and streamed past the wooden handle, dripping onto the 15-year-old's tattered dress. With a sickening feeling in her stomach, Alice felt the head detach itself from its body and roll onto her lap. Watching as the brown bag turn a shade darker, she couldn't help but feel thankful that the bag was concealing the revolting scene.

"Just so you know, my name's Damian. That there was Shane," he informed her as he scooted next to the water to wash the blood-drenched weapon. "He had been a friend of mine…well, until he had become one of the Lost."

Emerald eyes slowly set themselves on Damian, hatred stored within them. As curious as she was to ask, she would not speak to him. "What are the lost?" Her mind asked, speaking against her will.

"The Lost are the kids who tried to save Wonderland but failed in completing the task. They are to be punished and are compelled to live her until the day Wonderland perishes. They have no other option but to pledge their eternal servitude to Wonderland. Some can't stand it and go mad. Some try to escape. Others have problem conforming to the rules, such as with Shane. None are tolerated however, and so many of them are slaughtered, to fulfill some of Wonderland's other necessities." Cerulean eyes met Alice's own. "When you refused to come, Wonderland tried to find other children who could possibly save it."

"And this is how you repay them? If they can't do it, you kill them? Is that really fair? Honestly, what good are they to Wonderland dead? Why do you even have to punish them for trying?" She cried out, bombarding him with the questions that were running around in her mind.

"They were warned. Yet they accepted the challenge, and now must face the consequences. And killing some of them off does become necessary. Too many of them are here and they tend to get in the way of the new child who is trying to bring peace to Wonderland. They make things ridiculously difficult. Anyways, when dead, they also provide this starving world with food. So you see; we have reasons for our actions."

"But these are children! You can't just kill them! They're not like cattle or-"

"What makes children so special? Why is it ok for cattle to be slain for children, but not the other way around? Is it because they are considered smarter? More useful? Perhaps it's because they have more power?"

"You spend a lot of time talking to that cat, don't you?" Alice asked, cutting him off. Glaring angrily at the 18-year-old, she snatched her blade back before rolling the lifeless mound of flesh off her lap. The blood had evidently seeped through the bag, for the blue dress took on a brownish hue. "First off, cattle don't eat people-"

"But the creatures of Wonderland do. They're deprived of food, and fresh flesh of the youth becomes quite appealing."

"-And children…they are indeed smarter. They…they can tell the difference between what's right and wrong-"

"Yet they tend choose the wrong over right."

"-But they do experience guilt when they do…they repent, and seek forgiveness…they're innocent beings-"

"Who have the potential to become evil, destructive beings. It's only a matter of time before that happens. So wouldn't it be wise to prevent that from happening and get rid of them in the first place?"

"No! No, no. Not all become evil, some remain good-"

"Like you?"

"This isn't about me!"

"Is that really so?"

"You were a child too, how can you say such things!"

"I've come to learn of the truth and justice. And because of this, Wonderland has opened opportunities to me that no other child may ever be granted.

"Yeah? Like what, I'd like to know."

"I was one of those who failed saving Wonderland, but I evaded punishment. I was granted another job instead. I am now in charge of watching the Lost, and am to see to it that justice is served."

"In my word, this- this justice is nonsense!"

"To you perhaps,"

"If this is my Wonderland, why on earth are other children trying to save it? How can they even get here?"

Damian let out a soft sigh, apparently tired of all the questions. "I think you've learned enough for now. Let's save the rest for some other time," He said, slowly rising to his feet. "You've been here for a while now, I suggest you take a break and return to reality. The people there are getting worried. Come on, I'll show you the way out," he offered, beckoning towards the thick wall of trees.

With everything she had been through so far, Alice had almost completely forgotten about her life back at the asylum. Realizing just how long it had been since she had last eaten or rested, she suddenly felt her head droop as a tired wave of exhaustion washed over her. "I suppose your right," she resentfully agreed. With a great heave, she lifted her delicate doll-like self to her feet, and with slow, aching steps followed after her blue-eyed companion.

Just before exiting into the forest, however, Alice heard a soft snap of a twig behind her. Glancing back, she saw the faint image of the Cheshire cat crouching down to devour its freshly killed prey. Shuddering, she disappeared into the forest.


	8. Haunting Memmories

It was a bright, sunny day in England. Spring had come, and the whole world seemed to be rejoicing as a fresh new round of hopes, laughter, and life returned. Plants were greening and children out playing, busy tossing slushy snowballs at one another. Winter's fresh, clean air was filled with Spring's rich scents of blossoms and pine trees, and the melodious tunes of chirping birds and laughter flooded land. It was a grand day for nearly everyone to enjoy.

Nearly everyone.

Locked behind the bitter walls of the institute, in one small dingy cell were two people, huddled around a third.

"Oh Alice…please wake up…" Dr. Stanpole had been kneeling beside her bed for hours now, pleading uselessly with her. "C'mon now," he begged, warm brown eyes frantically searching for any sign of life on her frozen face.

"Henry, she's been like this for days. Give it up. It's not as if she has anything to live for anyways."

Amber eyes shifted views from the delicate child to the shaggy man beside him. "She's a patient of mine, Phineous, and I refuse to let her go like this," the brunette scowled.

"Come now, I hate to see you like this. So worried over this child. You've got other patients to see. You can't just push them all aside for her."

"Finny…I-I can't. There's something special about this one. She's…different from any one I've ever handled. I want to help her. I have to. Please understand-"

Emerald eyes fluttered open. "Doctor…" the girl on the bed croaked, "Doctor Stanpole…I'd like it if I could speak to you…"

A rush of relief seemed to instantly sweep over the psychiatrist. "Alice, your awake!" he exclaimed, brown eyes darting back to her. "You gave me a quite a scare there. What happened? Are you alright?"

The teen gave a short nod. "I believe I am…" she replied groggily. Her head was swimming, and vision blurred, though they slowly began to focus on the doctor. "…May I speak with you in private?" she inquired, speech slurred.

"Of course, of course." Dr. Stanpole turned back to his companion. "Mr. Komplien, if you'd excuse us-"

"Go on, I'll leave you two then," the man replied, already heading towards the door. He lingered at the doorway for a moment, however, eyeing Alice suspiciously. "Take care," he bid before shutting the door.

"What is it you want to talk about, Alice?" the 35 year old questioned eagerly.

"Wonderland," she replied softly, struggling with the clean sheets wrapped around her as she tried to get out of bed, "I've returned to Wonderland."

"Alice, lay down and rest. I don't think it's wise to get up," the brunette suggested, gently pushing Alice's shoulders towards the bed.

The femme flicked his hand away in annoyance, ignoring his instructions as she clambered to her feet. The cool cement floor pressed against her bare, dainty feet as she paced silently around the cell. "My, that place has changed… ghastly I tell you. It's filled with nothing more than filthy savages! Awful…it was dreadful. And once more, children are being murdered because of me! Because I wouldn't return to Wonderland. As if I don't already have enough problems…and they expect me to return soon. To /save/ their land," she explained, emphasizing 'save'. "As if there's even anything left to save! Lord, I couldn't even save my own parents from a fire! And they expect me to save all of /Wonderland/ from a ruthless /tyrant? What fools they are, it's no wonder they're in such horrid conditions," she muttered, secretly replaying the Cheshire's words in the corner of her mind. As outrageous as it seemed, of course, she had no choice but to save Wonderland.

Dr. Stanpole watched his patient intently, absorbing every shred of information he could find. 'Poor dear…' he thought, examining the femme with sorrowful eyes. 'Why must she suffer through so much guilt…'

"I'm not suffering from guilt!" she snapped, planting her arms at her hips, green optics staring into brown ones.

The psychiatrist was flabbergasted, "Wha- How?"

Her pacing stopped in front of the large, barred window. Wilbur. There he stood, ugly and out of place in this promising spring day. Nothing more than a discolored, black skeleton against the lush green background. A small smile began to play on the edge of her lips. It was a good thing he didn't know. She didn't want anybody to know about her and her terrible mind. Why everyone was so keen on figuring her out, she couldn't quite understand. They're all mad in Wonderland, yes, but they're all mad here too…

"Alice? Alice, are you okay?" She didn't seem to hear him, slowly meandering back to her bed, next to where he stood. Silence pursued, settling into the small cell. She was lost in thought, racing backwards through the memories in her mind, only to stop at that night. At that night where it all began. She wrapped her cold fingers around the 35-year-old's warm hand. Closing her eyes, she found the picture of her 10-year-old self, scrambling through the burning house develop in the black curtain of her mind.

"Mother!" It was as though a button had been clicked, and suddenly the movie was playing, flipping through the stacks of pictures that sat fresh in her mind. "Father!" Hot sweat rolled down her forehead, streaking across her filthy face. "Where are you?" She was panting hard, heart thumping loudly in her chest.

"Alice! Get out of here!"

"Mother?" She dashed up the stairs, skipping several steps at a time. "Father-" She stumbled to a stop in front of the doorframe. White flames coated the walls, while pillars of thick smoke filled the room, yet Alice could still make out her parents bodies, crouched on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood.

"Alice, get out of here! Save yourself!" Her father ordered in a hoarse voice, fat tear drops streaming down his damp face. He was desperately trying to pull his beloved wife to her feet, but it was of no use. Her long, slender leg had been sliced completely open by a large shard of glass, from the looking glass mirror. Try as she might, the pain was too much to bear, and the young woman simply could not stand.

Alice refused to obey her parent's pleas, remaining rooted to her spot. "I'm not leaving without you!" she cried, squeezing her stuffed toy bunny to her pounding heart.

"We don't have time for this, get out before I throw you out!" her father hollered.

"Please, we'll be right behind you! Go on, we'll catch up," her mother began to beg.

There was a moment of hesitation; finally the 10-year-old nodded in agreement. She quickly started down the stairs, only to find her path heavily cluttered with ash and debris as the searing flames devoured the house.

Suddenly golden eyes appeared through the smoke,"Say goodbye Alice dear. They will both die right here," there was the Cheshire cat, eyes shining maliciously. He still had some meat on him then, and his silky coat was pulled over his wrinkle-free body.

She blinked. "Cheshire?" The cat was gone. Nothing more than a delusion, no doubt caused by the intoxicating fumes.

Suddenly there was a rumble, followed closely by large, painful groans. The flame eaten walls no longer had the energy to support the house and came toppling down.

"NO!"

"Alice." Dr. Stanpole's voice held a soft tone of shock, yet it still had a heavy weight of concern accompanying it. She shuddered; drawing her knees to her chest, heart raging in its cage. One hand was squeezed tightly around Dr. Stanpole's, the other protectively guarding her invisible stuffed bunny.

"Alice, what was that?" He drew his hand away from her grip. "How did you do that?" He asked; voice calm and collected, although he was clearly alarmed at what he saw.

He had witnessed the events in her flashback as well…he saw what she had seen through her eyes, experienced the same emotions she was going through…

"I…I don't know…" she whimpered, wrapping her arms around her legs.

0o-- --o0 0o-- --o0 0o-- --o0

Author's Note: Just in case anyone had noticed…I've bumped Dr. Stanpole's age from 25 to 35. It had become necessary, for reasons you'll find out soon.

And I'd like to take a moment to thank a few wonderful people who have helped me come as far as I did now. Normally I barely make it past the first chapter when I write a story…but thanks to you people, I've made it all the way to chapter 7.

First off, I thank Cassy. Her love for that wonderful Disney movie, Alice in Wonderland sparked my interest in it. :)

Then I thank Sam, for introducing me to the awesome American McGee game. x3

Special thanks go to Lauren, for taking the time to edit my work. I really appreciate it! Plus, she's come up with a magnificent idea that I plan to add in the story.

Next, I want to thank all my fun role-play pals for helping me out some. :D

And finally, much thanks go to all the readers. Thanks for the support. (And thanks Gareth and Just My Heart for the comments. I appreciate it. :)


	9. Retaliation

Nearly month had slipped by, and still, Alice had yet to return to Wonderland. She was afraid to go back, as much as she hated to admit it. She remained cowardly in her cell, wasting the days away as she flipped through pictures and magazines Dr. Stanpole occasionally snuck in for her. Since her mention of Wonderland, he seemed more concerned for Alice, and spent additional time with her. Together they'd sit, Alice sometimes busy sketching pictures as he shared stories of his own life, and other times, on rare occasions, she'd be the one to share. Even though she never really showed it, she enjoyed his company, and for a while felt content with the way life had become. This all changed however, when one cloudy afternoon, Mr. Komplien entered the room instead of Dr. Stanpole.

It was around time for her sessions, and Alice, who had been secretly looking forward to it, was clearly displeased to see Mr. Komplien. "Where is Henry?" she asked, forgetting to say hello.

"/Dr. Stanpole/ can't make it today Alice," he replied, lips pulled into a thin line, finding her rudeness rather distasteful. "His son has fallen ill, and has more important matters to attend."

Alice frowned, turning sharply to the window. "Will he be here tomorrow?" she questioned, watching the male's reflection on the glass.

"You'll find out tomorrow," he replied, taking a small backwards step. "Good day!" With that he slammed the door shut.

"Oh yes, good day," Alice snorted, folding her arms over her chest. Now what was she to do? Sighing, she plopped down on the floor, staring blankly at the ground. "Stupid boy…what did he have to get sick for? He was probably out enjoying his day outside all of yesterday, while I was stuck in this wretched place. Pft. And then he has to go on and get sick, and take Henry away. Hog him all to himself, the prat."

There was a soft snicker tickling her ear. "Ah yes, the boy is to blame, but hurting you was not his aim."

"Oh, must you come now?" she groaned, rubbing her forehead in annoyance. "I'm not in the mood. I've told you already, I don't want to go back. Leave me alone."

"I'm quite tired of your attitude. I've come to help you, so show me just a little gratitude," the cat sneered, emaciated body appearing before her feet.

"Come to help me for what? What could you possibly do to help me?" she questioned, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

The feline was slow to answer; bony tail twitching madly, face set in a frown. "Dr. Stanpole's son has been selected to save Wonderland, and we've made sure his son remains ill until you take command."

"What rubbish is this?" Her mood was already soured, and the Cheshire cat was only making it worse. "Take command of what? I told you already, I'm not coming back!" she cried, kicking at the heinous creature.

With an angry yowl, the Cheshire cat stumbled away from her angry blow, losing balance for a brief moment. "You must if you want your friend to remain alive, otherwise neither him, nor the boy shall survive," he scoffed.

"You leave Henry alone!" the teen hissed, voice full of malevolence.

"Right now you're in no position to tell us what to do. You're not helping us, so why should we listen to you?" the cat retorted, skinny tail brushing against the cold cement floor as he began pacing around the cell, glowing yellow eyes locked on the girl, wearing a look of pure displeasure on his face.

"Because if you don't listen to me, you'll never live in peace again," she growled, pupils shrinking to pinpricks as she glowered the feline. Her hands were formed into tight fists, fingernails digging deep into her soft flesh.

"Wrong, if we don't have you to follow, Wonderland will no longer be alive to wallow," the skeleton snickered, holding his head high with pride, "You see Alice, Wonderland always gets its way, and with that in mind, I shall depart. Hopefully I'll hear news that the queen is slay." And with that concluding statement, the Cheshire vanished, his words however, still lingering heavily in the air.

"That-that goddamn cat, if they hurt Henry I'll – I'll…oh, I'll never forgive them!" she cried, burying her face into her cream colored dress. "Those devils! I never wished for anything to happen to Henry! That overgrown, good for nothing liar – they don't care for me!" She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her face tighter against the rough cloth, "They won't get away with this…if they want me to kill the queen…then so be it. I'll take her, and whoever else I can. I'll kill every wretched being in that miserable dump." She could feel the coarse fabric impress itself into her smooth skin, and felt a soft breeze sweep by, causing the gentle tickling of her dark hair against silky her arms. A stuffy warmth began to flood the room, as the heavy scent of sweaty bodies began to seep into the air, and the weak sounds of hurried footsteps entered the hushed halls. Alice was lost in thought, unaware of how those rushed steps seemed to become more and more like thumps – thumpings of a rabbit. There was a small creak as the door swung open, and standing in the doorframe was none other than the white rabbit.

"No time to dawdle Alice, we're very late indeed," he scowled, speaking in a scratchy voice. He seemed panicky, and unstable, thumping one long foot impatiently, as he beckoned Alice out the door.

Alice slowly brought her head up, angry face set on the aged rabbit. Like the Cheshire cat, it looked as though it had lived far longer than it should. Old, grizzly hair ran along its wrinkled body, elongated ears dropping low against its skull. A short top hat was smashed on its crown, and a filthy suit was pulled over its wasted body. Two long teeth protruded far from its mouth, while several crooked whiskers jerked awkwardly with every twitch of its fleshy nose. In his pocket was a large, golden pocket watch, its loud, incessant ticking following the rabbit as he suddenly hopped outside the room, diving into a portal of darkness.

Left with no other option but to follow, Alice hurried over to the ledge, staring down at where the rabbit had disappeared. The institute had been swallowed into a pit of darkness, with nowhere to go but down. Standing on a small cement island, however, was the Cheshire cat, a large grin smeared across his face. "Suppress your need to lead. Pursue rabbit with speed," he hollered over the rushing sound of the swirling abyss.

She didn't need to think twice- her mind was set. Leaping into the pit, she disappeared into the sea of darkness, leaving no trace behind.


	10. The Queen's Return

Positioned furthest from the Queen's castle, was a small work camp stretching around the borders of Wonderland. Built upon a barren land, it was a place where only the ill and soon to be dead where sent to labor. Dried riverbeds raked through the rocky soil, flooded with decaying bodies and wastes. The pungent odor was the only thing that seemed to penetrate though the heavy atmosphere, as groaning gnomes and dwarves continued with their monotonous work.

"What pitiful creatures," Alice sniffed as another angry gnome directed a rude gesture at her. "Hmpf, save these people indeed. As if they're worth it."

"I wouldn't speak like that if I were you." Appearing behind a herd of dwarves was a familiar blonde; Damian. A satisfied smile was smeared on his face as he approached Alice. "You were supposed to have been here ages ago. Snapped their already broken spirits you know."

"Well its not as though I have to be here," Alice replied, crinkling her nose as a wagon of lifeless carcasses clanked by. "If they're not careful, I'll leave."

"And if your not careful, both that doctor and that son of his are killed," the 18 year old reminded, wearing a smug look. "Turns out that cat really is clever; many find him to be quite the hero."

"Say that again and I'll slit your throat," Alice replied savagely. "When I find that cat--"

"/He/ was supposed to be your guide. But once he realized just how pissed you'd be, he thought it'd be better if I took on the job," the elder teen informed slyly.

"Well, we'll have to meet up with him sooner or later, and when we do, I'll be sure to take care of him," Alice responded indifferently. Damian opened his mouth to reply, but the femora cut him off. "Now, I want to get through with this as soon as possible. So where do I go first?"

"Right down to business, eh? Well first off, you'll need your butcher's knife," Damian explained, drawing the blade from a leather sack that was slung around his shoulder.

Alice took the knife, the slick metal winking in the weak morning light. "And this is all I have to fight with?" she questioned, sliding her finger across her throat as another scruffy gnome gestured at her.

"At the moment, yes," the blonde replied, rolling his eyes. "Our weapon supply is stretched thin; we can't afford to give more then that. If you believe that won't do however, feel free to steal any of the queen weapons that her lackey's may leave behind."

"Fine, where to?" the 15 year old asked as she pocketed the knife.

"Well, honestly, I'm note sure," the Lost keeper admitted, shaking his head.

Alice gave a snort of laughter. "And you're my guide you say?"

Damian shot her an annoyed look. "I know how to get around this place, and being your guide, all I am required to do is lead you to where you need to go."

"Then take me to the Queen," Alice said impatiently, folding her arms across her chest.

"You nit, you can't just barge in her castle," Damian replied exasperatedly. "Tch. We're doomed if we've got a pea-for-brain /savior/."

"Oh, shut up," the girl snapped. "If not there, then where do you expect me to go?"

"To Caterpillar. He knows all there is to know about Wonderland, he'll point you in the right direction," the blonde explained, motioning at an insect infected gnome to abandon his wagon.

"You vant poor Ickus to get in trouble, do you?" it asked shrewdly, standing – or rather slouching, protectively in front of the weather beaten wagon. "Ickus good gnome, always good gnome. He von't let ze heartless boy take vagon," he croaked.

"You're relieved of all duties, thanks to the graciousness of our fair Alice," Damian proclaimed loudly, quickly bringing the attention of the other workers.

The gnome merely blinked, stupefied. "You vant Ickus to get in trouble," he accused.

"No. You've been a good gnome. You deserve a just reward. You're free to do as you like." The puzzled expression did not fade from Ickus's face. "No more work," Damian added.

It took a moment, but Damian's words seemed to finally dawn on him. "No vork? Free?" He seemed to be doubtful, but he fancied the idea of being allowed to laze about, and wanted to believe it was true.

"Yes. Thanks to your Highness," Damian explained, jabbing a finger at Alice's direction.

"Highness?" Alice blinked. "Are you mad?" she hissed.

"Once you kill the Queen, we'll need a new ruler. And who better than the Queen's murder?" Damian replied with a grin.

"What rubbi-"

"Majesty is most vonderful!" the diseased creature quickly cut off. "Most indeed!" It exclaimed excitedly, giving a deep bow.

The other workers seemed to have forgotten their tasks at hand, remaining dumbstruck in their tracks. In a matter of moments however, a roar of protests broke out.

"What about all these work I did!"

"Turmy better gnome then Ickus!"

"Evil highness – no justice!"

"Esther won't work no more!"

Alice glared furiously at Damian. All she needed was a mob of angry old gnomes and dwarves after her.

"Silence!" Damian's commanding voice sliced through the uproar of complaints. "Alice can't free all of you at once. If she does so, the Queen will surely find out, and it'll be off with all of your heads!"

"But she free Ickus-"

"You'll all be granted your freedom in due time. Once Alice, our true savior, destroys the Queen, we'll all be liberated!"

A tense silences rushed by, all the workers anxiously waiting for Damian to continue.

"The Queen is not a one-woman army however," the blonde went on. "She has plenty of corrupted fools working for her; too much for one person to handle alone. It may have been prophesized that Alice will be the one to save and rule Wonderland – but she cannot do it alone. When the time comes, you must all be ready to fight – fight until death if necessary."

A slow murmur rippled through the crowd; the thought of sacrificing more sweat and blood to meet an agonizing death was a repulsive one. But with not many other options available, they had no choice but to comply.

"We fight," Esther, a withered dwarf, spoke as several other laborers nodded their heads in assent. "But better be worth it," she threatened, shooting Alice a dubious look.

"It will. You wait and see," Damian assured, grasping Alice's hand. "We'll be on our way now. I want you to keep a sharp eye out for word of our attack, and hopefully the Queen's tyranny will end sometime soon."

Rolling her eyes, Alice allowed the blonde to help her into the rickety wagon. It was quite an uncomfortable sensation in the cart; rough, sun-dried wood scratching every inch of exposed skin and it reeked strongly of stale urine. "Hurry it up," Alice muttered, as Damian climbed in beside her.

"Don't tell /me/ to hurry it up," Damian snapped, jerking a thumb behind him. Several dwarves were struggling to attach a stubborn horse to the cart. It was quite the show; the horse would every so often land a smarting kick at a distracted gnome, and as the injured creature crumbled to the floor, several hoots of laughter would break from the crowd.

"Hrm, this is ridiculous…"

It wasn't until a full 15 minutes later that they were able to depart, resentful horse clattering through the clusters of workers.

"Are they /really/ going to fight?" Alice questioned, raising a dark eyebrow. "Or all they just a lot of bloody cowards?"

"Cowards most certainly. They won't do a whole lot, I'll tell you that," Damian replied boredly, watching as they passed a gang of bickering gnomes.

"Then what was all that – fight till death nonsense?" Alice asked, shaking her head as she smoothed the creases in her dress.

"They could come in handy sometime, never know. Best have them on our side either way though," the 18 year old answered, frowning at her smirk. "You want this to be as quick and easy as possible, don't you? And in order to do that, you'll need all the help you can get. Fewer foes, the easier."

"Well everyone here would be an enemy," Alice said slowly, tilting her head as a thought came to her. "The Cheshire cat told me-"

"I don't know about that. It doesn't make sense if you ask me…" Damian replied, forehead furrowed in thought. "There's more to it, has to be. But he won't let on…in fact, I doubt he knows it himself. Just likes to put on a show – act as if he's all knowing. Which is a load of bull, he only knows as much as he does because he wastes hour after hour spying on Caterpillar."

"And Caterpillar has the answers to everything?" Alice inquired, ignoring Ickus's cheer as the wagon passed by.

"Everything about Wonderland, yes."

"And the Queen would allow him life, even when he is providing information on how to destroy her? Sounds quite suspicious if you ask me." Ickus continued making noise; following after the wagon as he shouted out the most flattering compliments he could think of. "You pest," she hissed. "Shut your mouth, will you? I'm trying to figure things out you know."

"Of course, pardon Ickus," the gnome apologized, giving a gracious bow. "But he only vant to tell Queen, vhat a vonderful, most kind, most-"

"You suck up, you're already freed, what else do you want?" Alice snapped, watching rather irritably as Ickus wheezed after the distancing cart.

Ickus suddenly stopped short, stumped by the question. Apparently he didn't know why either. "All hail Queen Alice!" he screeched, giving another low bow. He didn't seem to care to follow anymore, remaining rooted to his spot as the wagon stretched farther and farther away.

"All hail Queen Alice!" Several other voices began to echo. "All hail Queen Alice - savior of Wonderland!" Ickus's words had sparked a wildfire of cheers. "All hail Queen Alice – defender of all good! Banisher of evil! Liberator of Wonderland!"

The thunderous roar could be heard for miles, and despite the sour face she put on, or the fact that Damian was boiling with furry, the dark haired femme could not help but feel pleased.


	11. To Caterpillar

Nearly half the day had been wasted before any sort of obstacle was encountered. Now however, the moldy wagon was found parked in front of mammoth steel gates, which stood firmly behind a stubborn dog, who was apparently in charge of who passed. Damian had been arguing with the guard for the past ten minutes, trying unsuccessfully to persuade him into letting them pass. Alice was being of no help however, glued to her seat in the foul- odor cart as she carved her name into the dry wood. Evidently, she was enjoying his frustration. After spending at least a good hour bickering with him on their way here, it was a nice change to sit back and watch him go.

"It's completely unacceptable, no one of your class is permitted entrance," the haughty mutt barked, baring pointed teeth.

"Of /my/ class? And what would that be?" Damian questioned, outraged.

"The Queen ordered-"

"And you work happily for the Queen!"

"I've no choice-"

"You do you half-wit!" Damian said crossly, throwing his hands up in frustration. "She-" he jabbed a finger at Alice, who merely grinned as she stabbed at the wood, making a crude dot for the 'i'. "Alice is on her way to dispose of the Queen!"

"Lies," the hound replied unconvincingly.

"Do you know anything?" the blonde cried incredulously. "The prophecy stated-"

"I don't care what it says!" the dog snarled. "I don't believe in that rubbish. No one can destroy the Queen, she is an invincible power and you must learn to accept it."

"Fool, you stupid-"

"Throwing insults don't help any," the guard replied abruptly.

"There surely is another way around, isn't there?" Alice decided to speak up, as she finished etching in the 'e'.

"Not anymore," the hound answered. "The Queen received news that some girl is on her way to destroy Wonderland and has thus commanded all pathways be sealed. She's sent her /best/ guards on duty, and I don't intend to let her down," he boasted, wagging a shaggy tail.

"But- that's Alice- that's the girl right there you nit!" Damian cried in disbelief.

"And how would I know you're not lying?"

"Imbecile," Alice grunted, finally growing bored of the squabble. "How would you know if I wasn't?"

"I wouldn't. Now if you'd turn around and leave, it would be much appreciated," the dog said sternly, waving a dismissive paw.

"Fine, have it your way," Alice replied indifferently. "Damian, can we go now? You've wasted plenty of time I think."

With a sour expression plastered to his face, the blonde turned to the cart, glaring disapprovingly at the 15 year old. Defeated however, he clambered inside, muttering a chain of inaudible words all the while.

"You should know, I am against the Queen," the guard attempted to assure. "I'll have you know, the Queen gave clear orders to kill this girl if she ever came by." Damian shot a dirty look. "But of course, you cannot fool me. There's no way that imposter is her, this girl that the Queen seems to fear."

"Quite clever you are, dog," Alice snickered, tracing a thin finger over the jagged letters of her name.  
"As if he was any threat," the 18 year old grunted, steering the horse towards the direction they had come.

"Maybe so, but I'd rather not get into any sort of scuffle if it could be avoided," Alice said simply, retracting her hand.

"Wimp."

With an angry snort, the horse began trotting down the earthen path, and minutes later the unyielding gates disappeared as they curved around the mountain path.

"Those damn gnomes. I knew something like this would happen. Idiots. I should have the lot of them shot," the Lost keeper fumed, slamming his fist into his palm.

"Oh come off it, there has to be another way around," Alice attempted to reason.

"I'm sorry, how long has it been since you've last been here?" Damian scowled, oceanic optics catching emerald ones. Eyebrows drawn together, she stared right back at him, attempting to keep a cool expression. She failed however, lower lip giving way to a small quiver. Immediately, the femme dropped her gaze to the floor, hoping he hadn't noticed. But unfortunately for her, he had. And he found her reaction to be quite a surprise.

"No sniddy remark?" he questioned, raising a golden eyebrow.

"Shut up," the 15 year old replied, jaw clenched.

"You realize we've got quite an adventure ahead of us, don't you?"

"Most unfortunate." Alice's gaze remained glued to the floor, trying hard to concentrate on the sounds of horse hoofs against stone. "Damn cat."

"Well things would be a lot easier if you'd tell me more about yourself, you know," the blonde replied, trying to get the girl to talk.

"What d'you need to know for?" she asked stubbornly.

"Well let's see here…because you were such a bloody coward, I got called here instead and I haven't been allowed back since. What would you make of that?" her blue-eyed companion snapped, patience already drained.

Alice didn't answer at first. She wasn't one to open up to people, and rarely ever let anyone in on her more private thoughts. Dr. Stanpole had been an exception however, which was reason as to why she held him so dear. He was more than a friend, someone she could always depend on. He had yet to let her down, and refused to give up on her, unlike like so many others. Despite how difficult she could sometimes be, he would remain patient and understanding, never wanting to force her into giving information she was not yet ready to divulge. He had never so much raised an angry voice at her, and treated her with exceptional care. In short, he treated her like his own child, if not far better. She had developed a strong attachment to him, and the idea of Wonderland being so cruel as to slaughter someone as precious as him was preposterous. She loved him dearly, and it stung to imaging losing him.

"Alice?" Damian's words sliced through her thoughts, and she finally mumbled a few clumsy words. "Well that means a whole lot," the blonde remarked sarcastically.

"I wanted to came back before you know. But I couldn't. Wonderland would not have it as much as I pleaded," Alice said slowly, dark hair swinging in and out of her face as the wagon continued to rock through the valley.

"Yeah? Wonderland would not have you?" he inquired, wearing a dubious look.

"This was before the fire…when my parents were still alive..." Her voice trailed off, as she tried to recall her previous adventures to Wonderland. "They told me I was to old, I no longer belonged. Maturity. I had reached maturity, and was no longer welcomed," the words rolled distastefully off her tongue.

"I hadn't cared much at first…in fact, I found it quite pleasing when they told me…" There was a soft plop, followed by heavy sucking sounds as they dragged through fresh mud. With a loud snort, the agitated horse gave a hard tug, yanking the cart out of the thick muck, and continued on. "But then my parents…they…started arguing. A lot. All the time. To the point where it was sickening. As much as it bothered me, I never said anything about it. But then when my grandmother died, everything became such a mess and suddenly my parents were filing for divorce." A hollowed expression carved on her face, she continued, nestling her chin between her bent knees. "That's when I really wanted to go back. Get away from it all. But they wouldn't have me…begging and pleading day and night, but they never swayed. It was infuriating. 'Your far to old!'" she mocked, in a sudden high-pitched tone. " 'You're no longer a child Alice! Grow up, you don't belong here anymore!'" A twisted smile formed as she ran her finger across the flecks of mud that stained her weathered boots. "I started to blame my parents for it…they wanted me to grow up. Stop being so childish. Learn to accept responsibility…that crap. And when I did 'grow up', they had to go on and complicate everything. And then I couldn't go back…and it…" she stopped, feeling she had said plenty. "Is that good enough for you?" she asked sarcastically, head still bent.

"Not a very convincing story-" Damian brought two fingers under her chin, tilting her head so her eyes met with his. "-But I suppose it'll do," he said, giving a wisp of a grin.

"Good to know you're satisfied," she muttered, crinkling her nose in response to his smile.

"Would it kill you to try and act a little more pleasant?" the blonde remarked, rolling his eyes. When she merely frowned, he placed two fingers against each corner of her lips, pushing a ridiculous smile onto her face.

"What for?" the femme grunted, smacking away Damian's hand. "Not as though I'm trying to make any friends here," she reminded, tucking a lengthy strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well would it hurt if you did?" Damian asked, leaning back against the splintering wagon wall.

"Everyone I love die violently; unnaturally. Already I may very well lose Henry, and I don't want to stand for anymore of it," she replied coldly, snapping around to face the rocky scenery. Descending from the mountaintop, there was only a sea of dirt and debris bordering each side of the wagon. A little way down however, the tips of two giant stacks of boulders could be seen poking out from the ground. It was a curious sight, as though someone had attempted constructing some sort of monument, but grew bored and abandoned it. Now however, Alice began to wonder if the gates were originally meant to have been built there.

"You know…if you'd make the right friends, you could /possibly/ save Henry sooner…"

Shooting a glance back at him, Alice raised a questioning eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?"

"Nothing," the 18 year old shrugged, seemingly changing his mind about the matter.

"What is it?" she pressed, casting a suspicious look.

"Nothing, it was meaningless." Alice was agitated now, crossing her arms firmly across her chest. "I'm telling you, it was nothing."

"Fine, be like that you prat," she hissed, whirling back around.

"Did anyone ever tell you how pretty you are?"

"Shove it, suck up."

Damian grinned, finding her reaction quite amusing. "I think this adventure might be actually be some fun…"

Silence thus pursued between the two as the wagon creaked on through the rocky terrain. They were nearing the piled boulders, which towered above the small wagon, threatening to fall if intimidated. But remaining fixed on the road, they were to expect a peaceful passage. However, as they were about to pass, a shot of white suddenly streaked in front of the cart, more than startling the horse.

"What the-"

With an earsplitting shriek, the horse swerved around, jerking so violently, that the wagon swung clean off the ground, and slammed into the giant pillar of rocks.

"Stop you!" The terrified creature failed to listen, rearing up on its hind legs with another shuddering cry. Alice and Damian were thrown forcefully out of the cart, striking the ground with a hard thump. Pounding the earth with a powerful blow, the horse suddenly darted forward, throwing up chunks of earth, which rained over the sprawled teens. Weathered wagon flailing wildly behind, their means of transportation vanished in the distance.

"Oi…" with a small groan, the 15 year old rolled up against the mountain wall, examining her bruised arm, which had turned an aching blue color.

"That good for nothing, chicken blooded, sorry excuse for a horse…" Damian had managed to a stand, brushing away the mud that clung onto him. "You alright there?" he questioned, taking notice of Alice's injury.

Before she could answer, the white rabbit suddenly cut her off. Apparently, he had been the ball of white that had dashed by. "Must we dawdle any longer?" He snapped, seemingly to have failed to notice the commotion. He was busy consulting his pocket watch, clicking his tongue in disapproving manner. "Constantly dilly-dallying, becoming habitually late, aren't we? Have you not heard of punctuality being a virtue?" The hare criticized, wet nose twitching madly as he thumped over to the femme.

"Dolt, what was that?" she hissed, dropping her arm onto her lap. "You could have gotten us killed! Have you no-"

"Tick tock, time is wasting. We mustn't squander it on talks of coulds and woulds," the rabbit obnoxiously interrupted, pointing a finger at the bottom of the mass of boulders opposite to them. Seated between the jumble of cracks and fragments of rocks was a small hole, lying inconspicuously in its place.

"What's there?" Damian asked, wiping muddy hands onto his pants.

"Caterpillar is there," the rabbit answered, facing the blonde. "Get going." With that he sprung forward, somehow managing to shrink to the size of a gnat as he scurried into the hole.

"In there?" Alice frowned, grasping the wall as she pulled up to her feet. "So where were you taking me?"

The 18 year old shrugged, scratching the back of his head. "Guess he moved again. He's constantly on and about you know, hiding from the Queen and all," he explained, pulling open his leather sack. "At any rate, it's all the better for us," he said, digging through the bag. Apparently there was a lot of stuff in there; he began grabbing out handfuls of peculiar items, none of which he seemed to want. As he drew another handful, however, Alice caught sight of a more interesting object. It was a necklace, one that looked similar to her mothers. A tight thread was tied to a small orb, one about the size of a pearl. It was deep shade of blue, with swirls of colors swimming inside, yet it emitted a soft azure hue as well.

"What is that?" she questioned, suddenly filled with an aching desire to snatch it. It was a strange feeling; other than it somewhat resembled her mothers necklace, she saw no real significance of it, yet for some reason she desperately wanted it. It was almost frightful; she had never craved for something so badly.

"Nothing," Damian muttered, hastily stuffing it into his sack.

"What is it?" she pressed, annoyed by his response. "I don't think it'd hurt to say!" she huffed, realizing he wasn't going to explain.

"Let's just stay focused, ok?" the Lost keeper snapped, finally locating what it was he wanted. "Right, so. These are shrinking mushrooms," he informed, holding out two brightly colored mushrooms. "It'll take you down to rabbits size in no time," he said, forcing one of the funguses into the femme's hand.

"Everything always has to be so complicated…" she was repulsed by the mushroom, catching a whiff of its dung scent. "Couldn't have been slightly more appetizing, could it?"

"Just stuff it," the blonde replied, rolling his eyes as he crammed his mushroom into his mouth. Instantly, he began shrinking dramatically in size until he was down to the size of an ant.

With a frustrated sigh, Alice mimicked the 18 year old, and moments later, she had fallen to his size. "Truly revolting, I must say," she complained, holding out her tongue, which reeked heavily of the foul taste.

"Well you know, not always rainbows and butterflies," Damian chuckled, tracing the rabbit's steps to the small hole.

"Well aware of that," Alice replied in annoyance, trailing after her companion.

0o-- --o0 0o-- --o0 0o-- --o0

Author's note: Right so, a bit of a slow chapter, but there were a few things I wanted in there. Anyhow, we're heading onto Caterpillar's scene, which should be up fairly soon. I hope to get a lot more explaining done there, but the explanations probably won't follow the game's story very well. I think. I have never played the game, only a small section from the demo. I've never read any of the books either, and I've only seen a small portion of the Disney movie…which really doesn't help any. xD If it bothers anyone, I apologize, but I'll try my best to make it work. So, just a little heads up there for you all.


	12. Hidden Purpose

Entering the hole, it was as though they had stumbled into an entirely different world. Unlike the reoccurring bleak theme Wonderland seemed to sport, the dark room was heavily cluttered with lavish furnishings. All sorts of wondrous trinkets were spilled across the floor, while intoxicating incense burned dimly in the hole. It was difficult to navigate through the sea of furnishings in the weak light, but the 15 year old managed with only slight difficulty.

"Hullo Alice." It was a deep voice that spoke – that of Caterpillar. Face partially illuminated in the faint light, he seemed far better off than anyone else in Wonderland. Unlike the skeleton creatures that were roaming through the land, the Caterpillar actually had some meat on him. His eyes were bloodshot however, with yellowing teeth as he sucked in another breath from his pipe. "And Damian."

"So why is it you never told me you were moving?" the elder teen demanded to know, folding his arms across his chest. "We could have been here hours earlier."

"I didn't get the chance to, boy," the insect replied, blowing out a thick puff of smoke. "Told Cheshire to give word, but he mentioned something about this girl," he explained, pointing his pipe at Alice. "After his skin, yes?"

"He needs to be taught a lesson," Alice said indignantly, fanning away the smoke. The suffocating scents were already giving her a headache.

"And you need to grow a brain," the Caterpillar remarked, inserting the pipe back in his mouth. "The Cheshire cat is most useful; don't make an enemy out of him. He is by far the stealthiest creature in Wonderland, and fastest in relaying information. You must make peace. I may require his assistance in the future, but if you kill him, things won't turn out very pretty."

"Don't give me that. There's sure to be another-"

"You're in need of direction, are you not? So you come to me seeking information. But if you do not listen to me, it's all very useless," the caterpillar pointed out, drawing the tip of his pipe away from his lips. "Now, what is it you wish to discuss first?"

"Well-er-" she blinked, pulling her hair away from her face. She had so many questions swimming her around her head, but now that it was time to ask, she couldn't fish up one.

"How can we get to the Queen?" Damian asked from behind.

"Ah, the Queen," a serious expression was spread across his face as he set his pipe down against the rock he had been leaning on. "She will be most difficult to reach. She's got hundreds of guards combing the land in search of you," he said, peering down at Alice. "You must lay low. Try and avoid conflict whenever possible. Only kill when it's absolutely necessary," he advised, tapping a thick finger against the rock.

"But the Cheshire, he gave me the impression that I'm to kill everyone," she paused. "Including you."

"He does not deceive you," the Caterpillar assured, ignoring Damian's puzzled expression. "But you've got to be wise about it. Just think, what good would it do to kill all your allies off first? Only kill when you've squeezed every last bit of usefulness from your victim first," he said, picking up his pipe again. "Which, naturally, is why I won't be giving all you need to know in one sitting."

The femme frowned, eyeing the caterpillar suspiciously. "And the Lost children?"

"Leave them, they are not your creations," he replied simply, rolling his stick between two fingers.

"But why-"

"Wonderland is a precious place, Alice. I'm sure you're well aware of that. It was home. A place for you to question and learn about life, to discover your true identity, and accept responsibility," he reminded, gently placing the tip of his pipe on his thick tongue.

"And what business does anyone else have with it?" she asked crossly.

"Every child has their own version of Wonderland. Different in design, but the purpose still the same," he explained, deeply inhaling the heavy fumes. "Now listen here – you were not allowed back because you had finally understood reason. Reason why the world is what it is. Why things are what they are. Why people react how they do. Why you believe what you do. Wonderland no longer served any purpose. When your parents perished, however, you let go of all reason. You were in need of guidance. Now take time to relearn."

"You still haven't-"

"I'm getting there," the Caterpillar cut off. Shaking her head, she waited for him to go on. "Listen girl, despite what anyone here may tell you, you're not responsible for your parents death," he said shortly, rolling his pipe around his tongue.

Alice looked stunned. She had been thoroughly convinced that it was her fault for their death, but now he stated otherwise. "If this is some kind of hoax to make me feel better…save it," she said bitterly, hanging her head. "Lies don't help any," she muttered, staring at a glinting bottle of beer.

"It's your guilty conscious that is destroying Wonderland. To be the sole survivor of such an event, leave quite an imprint. You deceive yourself. Those ill wishes are natural and understandable emotions any child would have toward their parents. It's not easy to have your life suddenly torn in two. The pain was still fresh, and you hadn't had enough time to accept and forgive your parents when they died. It is cruel fate for them to perish when their last memories of you is you shouting out how much you despise them. With no one to talk to and reason with, you concocted this idea of you condemning them to death. That is all false Alice, you must remember this. The Queen's power feeds on this idea and you must learn to wholeheartedly reject it. If you second guess and self doubt, we're all doomed," he said sternly, pulling his pipe out.

Alice looked up, a questioning look drawn on her face. She wanted to believe this was true…but how could she? She did wish for her parents demise…and it wasn't long after until they reached their end. "But the Cheshire cat...he…"

"He is toying with you. What he said, it was but a fib," the Caterpillar assured, blowing out another puff of smoke.

"But I saw him! In the fire – I saw him!" she protested. "He told me they where going to die and-"

"Alice, every creature in Wonderland serves a purpose. Cleverly designed to show you what is what. The way they act and behave is derived by you," he said, leaning forward towards the femme. "They all represent some aspect about you, and your life." The Caterpillar was stretched over his rock, his face brought directly in front of hers. Crimson eyes glinting in the pale light, and reeking heavily of tobacco, the 15 year old stepped back, repulsed. "The Cheshire cat, he is part of your consciousness – the side you wish to ignore and forget. You despise him so because he only confirms those haunting ideas you want to deny. Such as with the fire." He sprung back, standing tall on his rock. "The Queen, she is your vengeful side. She derives her thirst for blood form you, Alice. It is your burning desire for revenge that is causing much of Wonderland's suffering. Your pain, still bitterly strong, torments every part of your soul. You've gone made child, and unless you destroy every mutilated image you've created, you'll always be."

"Shut up!" her words even caught herself by surprise.

"Truth hurts, but if you plan to win this battle, you must learn to swallow down bitter reality."

"Caterpillar…" she sunk to her knees trying to digest the information. It was so much to handle in one gulp. She felt so broken inside, the jagged shards ripping, eating away at her…and this Wonderland, this hell hole she alone had concocted was a mirror of her own twisted soul. Not a shred of happiness existed, it was as if no such thing existed…no one could stand such a place. No one could comprehend what went so wrong with this child…how could anyone understand? But now Henry would know. Know what kind of sick-minded monster she was. And what would he think? It was a horrific thought. "…Is there really any point to go on?" she asked, feeling her voice crack. "Caterpillar, why must I suffer?" Her body was shaking uncontrollably. "Can't I just end it? End it now?" She was trying hard not to break down, to fall and crumble, break into tears. "Caterpillar…why is it that I can never do anything right?" Her body quaked as she wrapped silky arms tightly around her. She didn't want to take it anymore…

Right when she was about to give in, she suddenly felt a soft, gentle touch on her shoulder. A comforting hand. She had forgotten Damian was there.

"Now is not the time to fall apart," the insect said firmly, popping his pipe back in his mouth. "You must be strong, more painful times await." Blood shot eyes met with despairing green ones. "Killing yourself would be a very selfish thing to do. For your death does not signify Wonderlands. We live on, while Lost children remain, and more pour in."

Damian's grip tightened on her shoulder. Shuddering the 15 year old drew herself up from the floor. It wasn't fair. Even dead, she would still cause suffering…

"We've wasted far to much time now. Any further questions can be answered later," the Caterpillar concluded, climbing down from his rock. "Your focus is to penetrate through the Queen's fortress. However, it's sealed tight, and the only way to break through is with Jabberwock's staff. An item, predictably, that we do not posses." He was fishing through an overly stuffed box, holding each item to the dim light before tossing it aside. "It's in pieces however, and each piece is scattered across Wonderland. Your job will be to locate each piece." He finally found what he was looking for – a curious looking piece of metal. Evidently, it was a piece of the staff. "I've obtained only one of the missing seven. When you've collected the rest, I'll have Cheshire let you know where I'm at. We'll then proceed from there. Now go on, Cheshire will be outside."

Alice merely nodded, as Damian steered here towards the entrance.

"Wait here boy!" Damian turned, looking clearly surprised. "I need a moment, go on Alice."

Wrapped in her own thoughts, the femmora didn't seem to mind, and left without a word. "Did you have a question?" The insect inquired, peering down at the boy.

"Er-" The blonde stuttered, needing a moment to think. He had tried to say something earlier, but the Caterpillar never gave him the chance to speak. He was surprised the Caterpillar had even noticed; the Caterpillar had seemed so tangled up in the conversation with Alice, it looked as though his presence was completely forgotten. "About the prophecy-"

"Hopefully it will prove true," the Caterpillar quickly answered with the wave of his hand.

"Hopefully?" Damian questioned, raising a golden eyebrow. "Isn't it…?"

"Don't get your hopes up so high. I made it up," the Caterpillar said flatly.

Damian blinked. "Made it…up…?"

"Don't act stupid," he snapped, plugging the pipe back in his mouth. "Needed to give Wonderland some hope."

"But, that's not right!" Damian argued, news clearly upsetting him. "If she fails then I can never-"

"Life isn't fair boy. Now go."


	13. The Adventure Begins

Damien left the Caterpillar's home, a deep sense of aggravation rooted in him. Eyebrows drawn, jaws clenched, he shot a heated look at Alice, who mirrored the same expression. She, however, was looking at the Cheshire cat, who had a large smile stretched across his face. He had won the battle; Alice was forced to listen to him regardless of her feelings.

"Always that sour expression, how about a bit more affection?" the cat sneered, glowing with delight. "A bit of cheer would be nice, even a simple smile would suffice!"

"Will you get on with it?" the girl hissed. Listening to feline's endless taunts was clearly one of the last things she wanted to do.

"Come then, you have a party to attend. And more to that, a staff piece to defend!" he grinned, whisking a bony tail. "Let's not be late, we're due at Hatter's place. We must be quick, against time we race," he warned, golden eyes shifting to Damian.

"I've got the potion right here," the blonde said, answering the Cheshire's questioning look. Hastily digging through his leather sack, he drew out a small bottle oozing purple liquid; another foul substance to swallow.

"Well let's make haste, we don't have time to waste," the feline urged, frisking a paw at them.

"Ladies first," the 18 year old grimaced, shoving the bottle into the girl's slender hands.

"Well you could have gone right on ahead then," she said flatly, although the teen went on to wrench the cap off.

"Ha, funny," the blonde remarked, rolling his eyes.

Cupping her hands around the bottle, the 15 year old dumped the potion into her mouth. It was a hot, scorching liquid, setting her throat on fire as she swallowed the concoction. Shuddering, she could feel its fiery warmth travel to the pit of her stomach before branching out through the rest of her body. Wincing at the rancid taste, she immediately felt its effects. Sprouting from the pit of her stomach, her limbs began to grow, stretching until she regained normal height.

"Gentle!" Damian squeaked. From far below, he was no bigger than a speck besides her boot, waving frantically at the bottle nestled in her palm. So small and fragile, she could have easily crushed the container…and force Damian to forever live an insect's life…or perhaps she could squish him. Flatten him into the ground with the toe of her boot. Or she could pocket him…a cute plaything he'd make. She snickered at the thought.

"You give me that now!" the blonde ordered, sensing her thoughts with panic. "I'm still in charge of showing you around!"

"Oh shut it," the girl boomed; Damian immediately clapped his hands over his ears in response.

Squatting down beside him, she rolled the small glass into his expecting hands. After giving the container a quick swirl, he drained the bottle, and seconds later, the blonde was standing tall at his usual six feet.

"Good to know you're not completely stupid," her blue-eyed companion remarked, looking relieved.

"Hm, I don't know about that. I'd have liked you better small," the teen sneered, folding her arms across her chest. "Make a rather cute toy."

Damian raised a golden eyebrow, a crooked smile drawn on his face. "Cute you say?"

Alice blinked. "Oh, did I say cute?" she asked, realizing her mistake. "I meant…funny looking."

"Har, come off it," the 18 year old grinned, nudging the girl. "You think I'm cute."

"You wish, insane prat," she snorted, shoving the blonde away.

"Me? Insane?" he chuckled. "If I'm insane, what would that make you?"

"An unfortunate child forced to put up with an idiot," she replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Children, now's not the time to flirt; first save those hurt," the Cheshire cat reprimanded, materializing before the two at proper height. It was as though the Cheshire's happiness and Alice's own happiness were not on equal terms. His radiating smile had disappeared behind his frown.

"Flirt? Hardly," Alice snorted, waving an airy hand.

"What a ridiculous thing to say, cat," the blonde sniggered.

"Oh, please. All he talks is nonsense," Alice remarked, planting her hands at her hips. "Too stupid to speak sensibly."

"Stupid, yes. He's quite a pest. Ill mannered. Obnoxious. Pompous," Damian listed, tapping a thoughtful finger against his chin. And the two found common ground.

"How about full of shit?" the girl added, emerald eyes brightening with delight. "And a bloody coward."

"Oh you have no idea!" the 18 year old grinned, ignoring the feline's angry glare. "Why, during your absence, he'd twitch at every mention of your name."

"No such thing occurred," the feline abruptly denied, yellow eyes flashing. His mood had dropped to a low; it seemed impossible that only moments ago he was the one laughing.

"Is that so, cat?" Alice questioned, a smile playing on her lips. It looked strange on her face, for the only smiles she'd ever worn were wicked ones.

"Don't try making yourself all that better boy," the feline hissed, however, Damian's cheerful expression did not fade.

"I'll admit, she scared me too," Damian remarked, blue eyes resting on Alice's pale face. "But you can't blame me; you /are/ quite scary."

Alice broke into laughter –laughter? A treat for Damian and the Cheshire cat to hear. "That so?" she asked, a large grin wiped onto her face. It was quite a strange sight; it had been so long since anyone had ever seen a real smile on her face, she looked almost unrecognizable. Soft lips parted to reveal pearly teeth; emerald eyes shimmering happily; dark hair framing her face. It was indeed a lovely picture.

"Well you certainly aren't all that pleasant," Damian assured. "But at least you're pretty. Can't say the same for that nightmare." Damian jabbed a finger at the Cheshire. Alice found herself breaking uncharacteristically into giggles.

"I did not come here to be the butt of your jokes" the Cheshire scowled, golden eyes shooting furious looks between the two. "I've come to help you ungrateful blokes."

"What help? All you've said was that the staff piece was in Hatter's place," Damian reminded the cheer in his voice extremely noticeable. It was as though he had been fighting a long, gruesome battle all alone and now Alice's laughter signified victory.

"I was going to tell you where the others were at, but now I think I shan't. Good luck on your own, maybe next time you'll learn to have a more politeful tone," the feline growled, fading into scenery.

"Nice going," the girl retorted, planting a hand on her hip. She tried to keep a more serious attitude, but she couldn't hide her delight all too well. Always pissing her off, it was nice to see the Cheshire be the one frustrated.

"Yes, well. We've got quite a walk to get to Hatters…ready?"

The girl nodded, and with that the journey continued.

0o- -o0 0o- -o0 0o- -o0

Author's note:

So I've completely forgotten about this. It was so weird coming across this again (I should be studying, but looking back at old stuff was just so much more appealing.) I forgot how dark this story was…I had kind of outgrown this whole phase and reading this stuff brought back tons of memories. I suddenly really miss this…and I'm not sure why I quit so abruptly – I had actually written out two other chapters but just never got around to continuing this. I don't know if anyone at all would still be reading this, but I think I might jut continue this. It was a lot of fun. And it's probably good practice for me. I feel like my English skills have dramatically declined since I've stopped writing and role playing, so this could be a fun exercise for me to get back on top of it. Of course, if I do continue…it'll probably be at a very slow pace. I think I started this back in the 8th grade…and now I'm graduating college in just a few months – scary, huh? So I have tons to do now compared to back then…I miss having lots of free time. But anyways, I'm going to attempt. I feel like I've forgotten how to write. And I don't actually remember the plot I had going for this. I've never played American McGee's Alice, so I never knew the full story, and now I've forgotten whatever I did know about it.

I'm probably talking to myself now, but it's ok. I want to do this for me. It was really nice rereading all the supportive comments people left too :) It's partly what made me motivated to continue this again. So I guess this is a really late thank you, but nonetheless thanks. Even though it's been years since you've written what you did, I read it today and still feel just as happy. That's pretty awesome.

(And continuing this is probably going to be a disaster. I am afraid….haha I am an engineer now and do very minimal writing. Oh my. I apologize in advance for the oncoming butchering of this unfortunate story.)


End file.
